John Abraham hopes Shootout at Wadala pans out as Vaastav

Actor John Abraham, who is playing real-life gangster Manya Surve in his upcoming film Shootout at Wadala, is hopeful that the role will be watershed in his career as it did for Sanjay Dutt in the 1999 crime drama Vaastav.

John is playing Manohar Arjun Surve alias Manya Surve, a member of the Mumbai underworld who was gunned down in the encounter with police at suburban Wadala in 1982, in what is said to be the city's first recorded encounter. "I think Shootout at Wadala will only do good... Positive thing for me. The film is a re-introduction of John Abraham. I am hopeful that people will see me in a different perspective. It is a very special film for me," John told the PTI.

The 40-year-old actor said he was hopeful that his role will bring around a perceptible change in his career as so happened with Dutt. "For me this film is like Sanjay Dutt's Vaastav which presented Sanjay in a different way and did wonders for him. I am hoping the same," he said.

Directed by Sanjay Gupta, Shootout at Wadala casts John, Anil Kapoor, Kangna Ranaut, Tusshar Kapoor and Sonu Sood in the lead roles. The film is scheduled for May 1 release. Dutt had won the Filmfare best actor award in 2000 for his role in Vaastav, directed by Mahesh Manjarekar. The film was a riveting success in India as well as overseas. John said Dutt's character in Vaastav was amazing.

"Sanju's character is path-breaking for me. He got more recongnition... Hope audience accepts me. I was scared as I have most of the time played urban cool guy be it in Dostana, Desi Boyz, Dhoom. It is a big but positive change for me. In an actor's life span there has to be progression. It is the audience that will decide the fate of the film," the actor said.

PTI